Baseball batting practice apparatus

ABSTRACT

An elongated shaft member having a ground engageable end, a free upstanding end and a collar affixed intermediate the ends. A support member having a bore formed therein receives the shaft therethrough and is rotatable about the shaft and movable along the length of the shaft between the collar and the upstanding end of the shaft. A spring is affixed between the support member and the upstanding end of the shaft, and a flexible arm having a ball member affixed thereto is attached to the support member.

United States Patent [191 Spurgeon Sept. 30, 1975 BASEBALL BATTING PRACTICE APPARATUS [76] Inventor: Larry L. Spurgeon, 609 Eagle St.,

Washington, Ill. 61571 [22] Filed: Nov. 15, 1974 [21] Appl. No.: 524,129

[52] US. Cl 273/26 E 511 int. Cl.- A63B 69/40 [58] Field of Search.... 273/26 R, 26 A, 26 E, 29 A, 273/95 A, 33, 200 B, 204, 206, 208, 196,

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1.839.040 l2/l93l McCarrier 273/204 X 2,818,255 12/1957 Ponza 273/26 E 3,341,200 9/1967 Brandley 273/95 A X Primary E.\-aminer-Richard C. Pinkham Assistant ExaminerT. Brown Attorney, Agent, or FirmHenderson & Strom 5 7 ABSTRACT An elongated shaft member having a ground engageable end, a free upstanding end and a collar affixed intermediate the ends. A support member having a bore formed therein receives the shaft therethrough and is rotatable about the shaft and movable along the length of the shaft between the collar and the upstanding end of the shaft. A spring is affixed between the support member and the upstanding end of the shaft, and a flexible arm having a ball member affixed thereto is attached to the support member.

5 Claims, 2 Drawing Figures US. Patent Sept. 30,1975 3,908,990

FIGI

BASEBALL BATTING PRACTICE APPARATUS BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION This invention relates to devices which are used to develop and to practice ball game skills. More particularly this invention is a batting practice apparatus which relates to devices used to develop baseball hitting skills.

A large number of devices have been conceived which move a ball relative to the user of the device, which ball the user attempts to strike. Most of these devices have a stand supporting a rigid arm to which the ball is either directly attached or attached by means of a rope or cord. U.S. Pat. No. 2,633,320 issued to Salmi and U.S. Pat. No. 3,] 18,670 issued to Smith illustrate devices having a ball directly attached to a rigid arm. U.S. Pat. No. 3,408,070 issued to Gonzales illustrates a somewhat less rigid arm. U.S. Pat. No. 1,862,044 issued to White and U.S. Pat. No. 2,017,720 issued to Lake illustrate attachment of the ball to a rigid arm by means of a cord.

A major problem with the use of certain is that severe damage to the structure can result from striking the rigid arm with a bat. Other devices substitute a different problem in that the cords involved may wrap around the arms of the devices.

Another major problem shared by batting practice devices in general is the inability to provide a ball motion which simulates realistically an actual baseball pitch. The devices either do not actively move the ball past the user at all, move the ball only in a plane parallel to the ground, which movement has a repetitive sameness not characteristic of a series of actual baseball pitches, or moves the ball in highly unusal directions and in jerking motions, which movement is more appropriate for the practice of such games as handball, tennis or squash.

There are pitching-arm machines available which can accurately simulate a real baseball pitch; however, these are rather complex and quite costly, require a large amount of space and auxiliary structures such as nets, and are used primarily by major professional baseball league teams and some colleges.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION According to this invention, a ball game practice apparatus is provided which is suitable for aiding in the teaching and refinement of baseball hitting technique.

An elongated shaft is made to engage the ground at one end. A spring member is affixed to the upwardly directed opposite end and spirals downwardly therefrom, the shaft passing centrally through the spring. A collar member is affixed to the shaft between the ends of the shaft.

A support member has an internal wall which forms a conical shaped bore therethrough. The support receives the shaft through the bore and is rotatable about the shaft and slidable along the shaft between the collar and the upper end of the shaft. The lower depending end of the spring is attached to the support. A flexible arm member is affixed at one end to the support and has a ball member attached to the opposite end.

It is an object of this invention to provide a novel baseball batting practice apparatus which will move a ball past a batter in a motion which will accurately simulate a real baseball pitch.

It is a further object of this invention to provide a baseball batting practice apparatus capable of achieving the aforementioned object and which is sturdy, simple in structure and therefore easy to manufacture, and economical in that it is affordable for an ordinary family and requires energy not from any outside source but only that supplied by the exertions of the user.

These objects and other features and advantages of this invention will become readily apparent by reference to the following description when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS The appended drawings illustrate the invention wherein:

FIG. 1 is an end elevational view generally depicting the baseball batting practice apparatus of this invention in engagement with the ground and in a position of rest, hatched lines being used to indicate certain internal structures more clearly; and

FIG. 2 isan enlarged fragmentary view of the invention, hatched lines being used to depict internal structures of the invention more clearly.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT Referring now to the drawings, in FIG. 1 the baseball batting practice apparatus of this invention is indicated generally at 10 in engagement with the ground 11. The invention 10 includes an elongated supporting shaft member 12, a main support structure 13 and a ball structure 14. More particularly, the shaft 12 includes a first ground engageable end 16 which is pointed to facilitate placement of the invention 10 into the ground 11, and a second opposite end 17 which is free and upstanding when the batting practice apparatus 10 has been placed into the'ground 11.

Referring now to FIG. 2, the shaft 12 includes a spring or coil member 18 having an upper end 19 and a lower depending end 21. The upper end 19 is affixed to the second end 17 of the shaft 12, and the spring 18 spirals downwardly therefrom and terminates in the lower depending end 21. The shaft 12 passes centrally through the area enclosed by the spring 18. A collar retarder member 22 is affixed to the shaft 12 between the ends 16, 17.

Again referring to FIG. 2, the main support structure 13 includes a support 23, herein depicted as spherical in shape. The support 23 has an internal wall or surface 14, indicated by hatched lines, which is conical in shape and which forms a control-socket or bore 25 within the support 23. The bore 25 has an upwardly directed smaller opening 26 and a downwardly directed larger opening 27. The shaft 12 is received through the bore 25, and the lower end 21 of the spring 18 is affixed to the support 23. The support 23 is movable along the length of the shaft 12 between the collar 22 and the second end 17 and is rotatable about the shaft 12. A flexible arm 28 is affixed at its inside end to the support 23, and the ball structure 14 (FIG. 1) is affixed to the outwardly extended end of the flexible arm 28. The flexible arm 28 is preferably constructed of fiberglass.

When the batting practice apparatus 10 is used, the shaft 12 is made to engage the ground 11. The shaft 12 is shown in FIG. 1 as being perpendicular to the surface of the ground 11; however, the shaft 12 may be inserted into the ground 11 at angles other than in order to adjust the type of pitch desired and to adjust for the height of the batter. The shaft 12 may be driven into the ground 11 to a shallow depth or to a deeper depth in order to adjust for the height of the batter.

After insertion into the ground 1], the invention assumes a rest orientation, as depicted in FlG. l. The batter may then strike the ball structure 14 with a bat. The motion imparted to the ball 14 is in turn imparted to the flexible arm 28 and the support 23, thereby causing the ball 14, arm 28 and support 23 to move along the shaft 12 and to rotate about the shaft 12, the spring 18 resisting these movements. The spring 18 stops and reverses these movements, causing the support 23 and arm 28 to carry the ball 14 back past the batter in simulation of a baseball pitch.

Instead of the batter initially striking the ball 14, a second person may grasp the arm 28 and rotate the ball 14, arm 28 and support 23 about the shaft 12 and against the spring 18. The second person then releases the arm 28. The pitching of the ball 14 to the batter can in this manner be more precisely controlled.

A realistic baseball pitch is provided due to the whiplike flexing of the arm 28 and due to the pivoting of the support 23, and therefore of the arm 28, with respect to the shaft 12 as the support 23 and arm 28 rotate about the shaft 12 and move along the length of the shaft 12. The upper edge of the internal wall 24, which forms the upwardly directed opening 26, acts as a fulcrum, pressing against the shaft 12, about which the support 23 pivots with respect to the shaft 12. The support 23 pivots with respect to the shaft 12 due to the conical shape of the control socket or internal wall 24 and of the bore 25 formed by the wall 24.

As depicted in FIG. 2, the axis of the bore 25 is at an angle to the axis of the shaft 12. The axis of the bore 25 does not coincide with a diameter of the spherical shaped support 23. in the rest position assumed by the invention 10 and depicted in FIGS. 1 and 2, the shaft 12 rests against the internal wall 24. The rest position of the batting practice apparatus 10 and the movement of the ball 14 could be altered by providing a support 23 which has a bore 25 with an axis coinciding with the axis of the support 23. The movement of the ball 14 could be further adjusted by providing a support 23 to which both the lower end 21 of the spring 18 and the flexible arm 28 could be attached in a variety of locations 29. The support 23 could be ofa shape other than spherical.

If the ball 14 is ticked or struck only a glancing blow, as in hitting a foul ball, the ball 14, arm 28 and support 23 will assume amovement which is primarily vertical, along the length of the shaft 12. The collar 22 and spring 18 serve to dampen violent movement of the support 23 along the shaft 12 so that a normal baseball pitch may quickly be simulated again after the striking of a glancing blow by the batter.

The batting practice apparatus 10 of this invention provides a realistic baseball pitch to the practicing batter and requires no energy for actuation other than that expended by the user of the invention 10. Thus it can be seen that the objects of this invention have been met.

Although a preferred embodiment and modifications thereto have been disclosed herein, it is to be remembered that various modifications and alternate constructions can be made thereto without departing from the full scope of the invention, as defined in the appended claims.

I claim:

1. A baseball batting practice apparatus comprising: an elongated shaft member having a first ground engageable end and having a second opposite end which is free and upstanding when said shaft is engaged with the ground, said shaft having a collar member intermediate said first and second ends; spring member having an upper end and a lower depending end, said upper end, being affixed to said second end of said shaft, said spring member depending from said second end and encircling said shaft; support member having an internal wall forming a bore through said support member, said shaft being received through said bore, said support being rotatable about said shaft and movable along said shaft between said collar member and said second end, said lower depending end of said spring being affixed to said Support, said internal wall forming a bore which is conical in shape, said support member having upwardly and downwardly directed openings of said bore, said upwardly directed opening being smaller than said downwardly directed opening and being substantially the diameter of said shaft;

-a flexible arm member at an inner end being affixed to said support member and having an outwardly extended end; and

a ball member being affixed to said outwardly extended end, whereby said arm and said ball are allowed to move in more than one plane when said ball is struck.

2. A baseball batting practice apparatus as defined in claim 1 and further wherein said lower depending end of said spring is attachable to said support at a plurality of locations whereby said support, said arrri and said ball are provided with a plurality of rest orientations with respect to said shaft.

3. A baseball batting practice apparatus as defined in claim 2 and further wherein said shaft is received by said support member against said internal wall.

4. A baseball batting practice apparatus as defined in claim 1 and further wherein said arm member is attachable to said support at a plurality of locations whereby said arm and said ball are provided with a plurality of rest orientations with respect to said shaft.

5. A baseball batting practice apparatus comprising:

an elongated shaft member having a first ground engageable end and having a second opposite end which is free and upstanding when said shaft is engaged with the ground;

a spring member having an upper end and a lower depending end, said upper end being affixed to said second end of said shaft, said spring member depending from said second end and encircling said shaft; support member having an upper portion and a lower portion, said upper portion being connected to said lower portion, said upper portion having an internal wall forming one part of a bore and an upwardly directed opening of said bore, said lower portion having an internal wall forming the other part of said bore and a downwardly directed opening of said bore, said upwardly directed opening being smaller than said downwardly directed opening and being substantially the diameter of said shaft, said shaft being received through said openings, said support being rotatable about said shaft and movable along said shaft, said lower depending end of said spring outwardly extended end; and being affixed to said support; a ball member being affixed to said outwardly a flexible arm member at an inner end being extended end.

affixed to said support member and having an 

1. A baseball batting practice apparatus comprising: an elongated shaft member having a first ground engageable end and having a second opposite end which is free and upstanding when said shaft is engaged with the ground, said shaft having a collar member intermediate said first and second ends; a spring member having an upper end and a lower depending end, said upper end being affixed to said second end of said shaft, said spring member depending from said second end and encircling said shaft; a support member having an internal wall forming a bore through said support member, said shaft being received through said bore, said support being rotatable about said shaft and movable along said shaft between said collar member and said second end, said lower depending end of said spring being affixed to said support, said internal wall forming a bore which is conical in shape, said support memBer having upwardly and downwardly directed openings of said bore, said upwardly directed opening being smaller than said downwardly directed opening and being substantially the diameter of said shaft, whereby said arm and said ball are allowed to move in more than one plane when said ball is struck; a flexible arm member at an inner end being affixed to said support member and having an outwardly extended end; and a ball member being affixed to said outwardly extended end, whereby said arm and said ball are allowed to move in more than one plane when said ball is struck.
 2. A baseball batting practice apparatus as defined in claim 1 and further wherein said lower depending end of said spring is attachable to said support at a plurality of locations whereby said support, said arm and said ball are provided with a plurality of rest orientations with respect to said shaft.
 3. A baseball batting practice apparatus as defined in claim 2 and further wherein said shaft is received by said support member against said internal wall.
 4. A baseball batting practice apparatus as defined in claim 1 and further wherein said arm member is attachable to said support at a plurality of locations whereby said arm and said ball are provided with a plurality of rest orientations with respect to said shaft.
 5. A baseball batting practice apparatus comprising: an elongated shaft member having a first ground engageable end and having a second opposite end which is free and upstanding when said shaft is engaged with the ground; a spring member having an upper and a lower depending end, said upper end being affixed to said second end of said shaft, said spring member depending from said second end and encircling said shaft; a support member having an upper portion and a lower portion, said upper portion being connected to said lower portion, said upper portion having an internal wall forming one part of a bore and an upwardly directed opening of said bore, said lower portion having an internal wall forming the other part of said bore and a downwardly directed opening of said bore, said upwardly directed opening being smaller than said downwardly directed opening and being substantially the diameter of said shaft, said shaft being received through said openings, said support being rotatable about said shaft and movable along said shaft, said lower depending end of said spring being affixed to said support; a flexible arm member at an inner end being affixed to said support member and having an outwardly extended end; and a ball member being affixed to said outwardly extended end. 